Library debuts a dozen languages

Hoping to serve the interests of linguists, both amateur and expert, Charlevoix Public Library is offering a sweet new program.

It’s called Mango Language and it just may revolutionize the way people learn Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Arabic and other popular languages.

“It’s an online language tool that lets you go at your own pace,” said library executive director Valerie Meyerson. “It’s visual as well as auditory, so you listen and look and repeat the words.”

Meyerson said the problem with traditional language learning sets is how limited they are in the number of people they can serve and how they serve them.

Advertisement

“We may have a Spanish language learning set with 15 CDs and another box for the advanced set with another 15 CDs. Well, if someone checks out the first set, no one else can use it until they bring it back,” she said. “The other major difference is you can start anywhere in the series and it doesn’t go forward until you click that you’re ready to go on.”

Currently the library is offering the service through a free trial it has.

Meyerson said the library board doesn’t want to pay for the full service unless there is enough desire among the community to do so.

So, Meyerson said, the trial period for the community to use this service will last the month of January and up until Feb. 4.

“If you just want to get a little bit of information because you’re going to Spain for travel, you can do that,” she said. “Or, if you are looking to learn a language in-depth, you can do that, too.”

Another added bonus, Meyerson said, is that Mango Language can be accessed from anywhere. You will need to sign up at the library, but then you can take lessons whenever and wherever it is convenient for you.

And, she said, there is no limit on how many people can use the service at one time.

“We do ask, if you like it, please let us know so we can decide whether order the paid subscription,” Meyerson said.